Astilbe plant named ‘Harvandermeerrubyred’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Astilbe  plant named ‘Harvandermeerrubyred’, characterized by its tall, broadly upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and uniformly flowering habit; dark red purple-colored flowers on upright and strong peduncles; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Astilbe chinensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HARVANDERMEERRUBYRED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present, invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe, botanically known as Astilbe chinensis and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Harvandermeerrubyred’.

The new Astilbe plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new uniform and freely flowering Astilbe plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Astilbe plant originated from an open-pollination in 2011 in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands, of Astilbe chinensis ‘Harvandermeer’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown Astilbe chinensis seedling selection as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Astilbe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands during the summer of 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Astilbe plant by vegetative divisions in a controlled nursery environment in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands since December, 2013, has shown that the unique features of this new Astilbe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Astilbe have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Harvandermeerrubyred’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Harvandermeerrubyred’ as a new and distinct Astilbe plant:

-   -   1. Tall, broadly upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely and uniformly flowering habit.     -   5. Dark red purple-colored flowers on upright and strong         peduncles.     -   6. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Astilbe differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Harvandermeer’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe are taller than plants of         ‘Harvandermeer’.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Astilbe are larger than         inflorescences of plants of ‘Harvandermeer’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Astilbe are dark red purple in         color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Harvandermeer’ are dark pink         in color.

Plants of the new Astilbe can be compared to plants of Astilbe chinensis ‘Vision in Red’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,965. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Astilbe and ‘Vision in Red’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe are taller than plants of ‘Vision         in Red’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Astilbe are darker green in color         than leaves of plants of ‘Vision in Red’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Astilbe are larger than         inflorescences of plants of ‘Vision in Red’.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Astilbe are dark red purple in         color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Vision in Red’ are purple in         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Astilbe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Astilbe plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Harvandermeerrubyred’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Harvandermeerrubyred’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in 19-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Nieuwe Wetering, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Astilbe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 25° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Astilbe chinensis ‘Harvandermeerrubyred’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Astilbe chinensis ‘Harvandermeer’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown Astilbe chinensis seedling             selection, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at temperatures             about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; typically brown in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; tall,             broadly upright and mounding plant form with inflorescences             held above the foliar plane; flowering stems and leaves             basal; freely flowering with numerous basal branches             developing per plant, dense and bushy; vigorous growth             habit; and freely and uniformly flowering habit.         -   Growth rate.—Rapid; from divisions, about six months are             required to produce fully-grown flowering plants in             containers.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 51             cm.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About             87.9 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 92.5 cm.         -   Stem description.—Length: About 46.5 cm. Diameter: About             3.5 mm. Internode length: About 18 cm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Erect to about 5° from vertical. Texture and luster:             Moderately pubescent; glossy. Color, developing: Close to             152B to 152C. Color, developed: Close to between 145A and             152A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; biternately compound; about 39             leaflets per leaf.         -   Leaf length (excluding petiole).—About 30.6 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 34.8 cm.         -   Terminal leaflet length.—About 7.4 cm.         -   Terminal leaflet width.—About 4.1 cm.         -   Lateral leaflet length.—About 5.3 cm.         -   Lateral leaflet width.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Leaflet shape.—Elliptic.         -   Leaflet apex.—Apiculate.         -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.         -   Leaflet margin.—Biserrate.         -   Leaflet texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces.—Moderately pubescent; slightly rugose; slightly             glossy.         -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to             between 137B and 146B. Developing leaflets, lower surface:             Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaflets, upper surface: Close             to NN137A; venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaflets,             lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 145A to             145B.         -   Leaf petiole length.—About 40.7 cm.         -   Leaf petiole diameter.—About 2.75 cm.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole strength.—Strong.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces.—Moderately pubescent; glossy.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, upper surface.—Close to 144A             and 199A; at the nodes, close to 178B to 178C.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 144B             and 199A to 199B; at the nodes, close to 152A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate flowers             arranged on terminal compound panicles; flowers face             upright, outward or downward depending on position on the             inflorescence; panicles narrowly conical in shape; freely             and uniformly flowering habit with about 1,500 flowers             developing per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—Moderate; sweet and pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 13             weeks after planting; continuously flowering from late             spring until late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the             plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1.75 mm.             Shape: Roughly globular. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 59D fading towards the base             to close to 146D.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 37.1 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 11.2 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 7 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl. Length: About 6 mm. Lobe width: About 0.6 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Narrowly cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing petals,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 59B. Fully expanded             petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 64B fading             towards the base to close to 64C; color becoming closer to             64C with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base forming a campanulate-shaped             calyx. Length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:             Broadly ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate, fused. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing sepals, upper             surface: Close to 62C; towards the margins, close to 63A.             Developing sepals, lower surface: Close to 62C; towards the             margins, close to 64C. Fully expanded sepals, upper surface:             Close to 62D; towards the margins, close to 63B. Fully             expanded sepals, lower surface: Close to 62D; towards the             margins, close to 64D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 36.8 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Angle: Mostly erect. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster:             Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 152B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.75 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Angle: About 60° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely pubescent;             matte. Color: Close to 59D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             twelve; anthers basifixed. Filament length: About 4 mm.             Filament color: Close to 64C. Anther shape: Broadly ovate.             Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther diameter: About 0.2 mm.             Anther color: Close to 75D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 76C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Two.             Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigma diameter: About 0.1. mm.             Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 64B. Style             length: About 2.75 mm. Style color: Close to 64C. Ovary             color: Close to 64C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Astilbe. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Astilbe have     not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Astilbe plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and high     temperatures of about 35° C. Additionally, plants of the new Astilbe     have been observed to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through     10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Astilbe plant named ‘Harvandermeerrubyred’ as illustrated and described. 